So it's been ten years since I last laced up the hockey skates. Finley had his first skating lessons on Saturday and so we went out again yesterday at the neighborhood rink. I was able to bring my stick and slap the puck around. Man it was nice to get out there again. It all came back fairly quickly. Come to think of it I haven't played in a hockey game since my days at Erik's playing with Lalla and Erik himself. Those were the days.
New bike, what to get?
Now that things are finally happening at work I might be able to afford a new mtb for my return to the dirt. So the question remains, do I get a 26, 29 , or some funky combination of the 2? I remember this whole 29 craze back when Dave Wiens was racing for Diamondback. The Overdrives were 700c mtbs. They didn't last long with only a handful of other manufacturers jumping on the band wagon. It makes me wonder if this trend will really last. Sure the wheels are better engineered now but what about the physics involved here. Is a 29'er really any better than a 26, especially on tight single track? I've heard they are good for taller riders, is 6'1" considered tall?
24
Jack is back. I'm guessing Tony is actually good and working for the now defunct CTU. We'll see...
Skiing
Got out this weekend and did a few laps at Lake Elmo. I've been struggling with my climbing. I've felt like a deer on ice. My legs would get further and further apart. But yesterday I think I figured out that you want to keep your strides short. I used to have a hard time getting my legs back together in time for the next push. I've found that if you keep your legs from getting too far away from you that you can find a rhythm and climb more efficiently. So all you experienced skiers, am I correct here. I'm kinda learning this on my own and would appreciate any advise.
6 comments:
Dood. I'm ready to ski. How about next weekend?
Check out jmshockey.com too. It's seriously fun. Only $15 for 90 minutes of skating. I play with no mask and no shoulder pads. Didn't you play high school level? You'd be able to jump in on Level 4/5 no problem. Or, how about some outdoor hockey? Whatever.
Don't trust Dan. I bet he's nationally ranked in hockey too.
Shorter strides up the hills is key - just remember that your legs will follow your hands. If you quicken the arm tempo, the legs will follow.
Stick with 26"
(word verification is "nablo". made me think of naboo. am I geek?)
oh - and thanks for asking me to ski with you.
Don't trust Grizz. He's like the MN state sprint champ or sumthin (moving his hands real fast). Not sure how good he is on the hills though. :)
Tomorrow night there's a jmshockey level 4/5 session at the Xcel Energy center. It's a little more pricey at $45, but you get 2 free tickets to the Swarm too (professional lacrosse ya know). Skate on the same rink as the Wild. I did it once before and they blew the horn when a I scored a goal once. How fun is that, huh?
I can move my hands fast, but not fast enough in ping pong..
Yeah Marc do JMS!!!
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